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 As it was, the Rockies added another early uprising against St.
Louis starter John Lackey and rolled to an 11-3 win over the
Cardinals.
Colorado scored five times in the first, and a five-run fourth blew
the game open, putting the Rockies ahead 10-1. The Cardinals (38-20)
have the best record in the majors, and they entered the game with a
major-league-leading 2.58 ERA, making Colorado's lopsided win rather
unexpected.
"We always expect to have to scratch and claw for runs against that
team," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "Pitching has been the
common denominator for them in the successful run that they've had,
and we always expect it to be very difficult to score runs. Every
once in a while you run into a night like this, but (they are) few
and far between against that St. Louis staff."
Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki hit his seventh home run of the
season in the first, a three-run shot. Third baseman Nolan Arenado
added a two-run homer in the fifth, his 14th of the season.
Colorado won for the 11th time in the past 16 games.
"The bats are continuing to come alive, yesterday aside," Weiss
said, referring to a 3-2, 10-inning loss to the Miami Marlins on
Sunday. "I feel we've been playing a lot better offensively, so it's
starting to come together."
The Rockies have been trying all season to gain traction at Coors
Field, where they are 12-17. For one night anyway, they were
dominant at home, producing a 16-hit attack that included seven
extra-base hits.
David Hale (2-0), brought up from Triple-A Albuquerque to make the
start, worked seven innings and allowed three runs, two on solo
homers by second baseman Kolten Wong and center fielder Jon Jay.
Hale's two previous starts this season for the Rockies came when he
was added to the roster as the 26th man for doubleheaders.
Asked whether Hale has a chance to stay with the Rockies this time,
Weiss said, "He's got a real good chance."
Hale has not issued a walk in 19 1/3 innings in his three starts.
Lackey (4-4) gave up a career-high-tying 10 runs -- eight were
earned -- and 12 hits in four innings before Cardinals manager Mike
Matheny turned to his bullpen.
"Right up until that last inning (Lackey pitched), in this place
you're still in it," Matheny said. "Then you get the second five-run
inning and you kind of put yourself in a bad spot. It's a lot of
work. I couldn't have brought him out any sooner. He was eating
innings and trying to keep us in the game so we could have a chance
to figure out a way to get in it."
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The Rockies' initial rally began when Wong made an error on center
fielder Charlie Blackmon's leadoff grounder. Second baseman DJ
LeMahieu, who had three hits, singled, and Tulowitzki belted a
three-run homer, connecting on Lackey's 2-1 curveball.
It was Tulowitzki's third homer in four games and gave him at least
one RBI in five consecutive games. He went 2-for-4 and raised his
average to .310, the highest it has been since been since he was
hitting .321 on April 21.
"I'm getting better," Tulowitzki said, "but at the same time, I
think I can be a lot better."
The loss might have been costly to the Cardinals. Left fielder Matt
Holliday left the game with a right quadriceps strain in the second.
He sustained the injury running for what became a bloop double by
right fielder Carlos Gonzalez, and he will undergo tests Tuesday.
First baseman Ben Paulsen had three hits for Colorado. Tulowitzki,
Gonzalez, catcher Nick Hundley and left fielder Brandon Barnes had
two hits apiece.
Cardinals first baseman Mark Reynolds went 2-for-4, making him the
only St. Louis player with multiple hits.
NOTES: Rockies RHP Rafael Betancourt (vertigo symptoms) was placed
on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Sunday. That move made
room on the roster for Hale, who was recalled from Triple-A
Albuquerque to start Monday. ... With the third overall pick in the
draft Monday, the Rockies chose SS Brendan Rodgers from Lake Mary
(Fla.) High School. They chose four high school players with their
top four picks, something they have only done once before in 1998...
Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn came out of his start Sunday night at Los
Angeles with forearm stiffness after five innings and 98 pitches.
Matheny said Lynn appears to have no structural problems but will be
monitored in the days ahead.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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